Improvement in chromatic-printing presses



2 Sheets--Sheet1.

F. L. HEUGES.

Ehromatic Printing-Presses.

N0. 134,380. Patented Dec. 31, I872.

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2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

F. L. HEUGHES.

Chromatic Printing-Presses.

No. 134,380. Patented Dec.31,187 2.

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FREDERICK HEUGHES,'OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHROMATIC-PRINTING PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. H3 ,30, dated December31, 1872.

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEE HEUGHES, of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inChromatic -Printing Presses, of which the following is a speciflcationThe object of my invention is to provide a press for printing in severalcolors at the same time, and also one that can be worked at a high speedon one color; and it consists more especially in the combination of aseries of type-beds and platens corresponding in number to the number ofcolors desired to be used, and arranged in a common vertical or nearlyvertical line, the inking apparatus of each being entirely distinct, butoperated by mechanism common to all.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, showingthe platengate open. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a plane parallelwith the elevation, Fig. 1, with the platen-gate closed. Fig. 3 is afront elevation with the platen-gate removed.

A, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is a supporting-frame, to which the various partsof my press are attached. B is the driving-shaft, provided with afly-wheel, C, and having a pinion, a, Figs. 2 and 3, meshing into agear, D, upon the shaft F, Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft F is parallel withB, and is provided with acam, E, which in its revolution actuatesalternately the knee-1evers c and c. G G, Figs. 2 and 3, are typebeds,which move horizontally upon ways or guides 01 attached either to thebeds or to the frame of the press, as desired. These beds arealternately forced toward the platens H H by means of the knee-leverscc, which are hinged to the type-beds andto strong cross-ribs o of theframe A, and are in turn actuated by the cam E. Springs e,'Fig. 2,operateto withdraw the type-beds and by this means also thefriction-rollers f, which, at the central joint of the toggles, are keptin constant contact with the face of the cam E, whereby said toggles maybe worked at a high speed without concussion. The platens H H areattached in a suitable manner to a frame or gate, I, Figs. 1 and 2,which is hinged at one side to lugs h, Fig. 3, on the main frame A, andis retained in operating position by the sliding bolts g, Fig. 1, whichmove in the lugs h and enter openings in the ears t upon theplaten-frame, when it is swung into place. The bolts g are shown asoperated simultaneously by the hand-lever j but any other suitable orcon venient means may be adopted for forcing them into place. By thisplan of hinging the platen-gate to the frame, both type and platens maybe very quickly exposed to view, as indicated in Figs. land 3, and anyadjustment or alteration readily made.

The inking apparatus is shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, theroller-frame J moving upon ways K, which are parallel with the faces ofthe type-beds and platens. It is provided at or near each end with setsof inking-rollers m m, having bearings in adjustable boxes n. As theroller-frame reciprocates upon its ways, the sets m and m ofinking-rollers come in contact alternately with thefountain-distributers 10 and p fromwhich they receive ink and convey itto the face of the types upon the beds G and G. The rollersp and phavebearings upon light frames L L, which also support thetraveling-rollers 0, the carrier-rollers q, fountains 7", and fiatdistribution 2, all of which may be constructed and operated in themanner usual in printing-presses. The frames L L are made to slide uponways 8 upon the frame of the machine, on which they are clamped bybinding-screws. By this means any inking-fountain with its distributingapparatus may be removed in a few minutes and replaced by anothercontaining a different cclored ink. h

Motion is communicated to the roller-frame J by means of the shaft 2?,Figs. 1 and 2, having pinions b meshing into racks upon the side bars ofthe frame, as indicated, and this shaft is in turn actuated by areciprocating rack, N, Fig. 1, which meshes into a pinion, 0, Figs. 1and 3, on the extremity of said shaft. The rack N moves vertically upona guide, a, upon the frame of the machine, and is thus operated by meansof a crank, 0, upon the cam-shaft F, the pin a of which works in ahorizontal slot in said rack. The pinions b andv and the stroke of thecrank O are so proportioned that the requisite reciprocation of theroller-frame J is produced at each revolution of the shaft E, and itwill be observed that such reciprocation is thus simultaneous andcorresponsive with the movements of the type-beds G G. By reason of thisconstruction of the parts and the proper relative arrangement of thecrank O and cam E, the inking-frame J is at one extremity (andconsequently at the slowest part) of its stroke, while the correspondingtype-bed is being moved forward to make an impression. Furthermore, aconsiderable portion of the face of the cam E is made concentric withthe shaft F, as indicated in Fig. 2, whereby one set of toggles and atypesbed are at rest during the forward movement of the other type-bed,such period of rest being sufli-- cient to allow the sets ofinkingrollers m or m to pass over the form and return. Upontheplaten-gate I, I provide a'card-slide attachment, which consists mainlyof a light frame, B, Fig. 1, having cross bars or rods 0 upon which thevertical guides D are adjustable by means of thumb-screws d, Fig. 2, forthe purpose of admitting cards of various sizes. This frame fits overthe edges of the platens loosely, and is retained thereon byclamp-screws 1), whereby the whole may be removed from the platen-gatein a few minutes. The guides D haveaslight groove upon their inneredges, terminating in a funnel at the top, to receive the cards in theusual manner. Rock-shafts e have bearings upon the side bars of theframe B, and the stops f are adjustable longitudinally thereon tocorrespond with the adjustment of the guides D.- These stops extend overthe inner edges of the guides and are held against the platens H H byslight springs. The card drops down the grooves in the guides D againstthese stops and receives the impression, when, by a slight oscillationof the rock-shafts e, the

- stops are raised and the card passes down and eventually out of themachine. The oscillation of the rock-shafts is effected at the propertime by means of the toes g 9, Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the former acting uponits. rock-shaft in a downward direction only and the latter upward only,both being free one way, as indicated in Fig. 4. A projection, h, Fig.2, upon the inking-frame J comes in contact with these toes alternatelyas said frame reciprocates, and allows the card to drop at the propermoment.

The operation of my machine is as follows: Suppose ink of a certaincolor to be supplied to one of the fountains 1' and a different color tothe other, and the press to be set in motion. The inkingframe J passesdown and the rollers m receive ink from the lower fountain while therollers m pass over the upper form and ink it. Upon the return of theinkingframe the bed G advances and makes the impression, a card havingbeen dropped into the slide by the operator at the proper moment, .whichfalls by its own weight and rests upon the stops f As the inking-framebegins to descend the projection it upon it trips the too 9, thuslifting the stops ff and allowing the card to drop by its own gravity tothe next platen and rest upon the stops f, in which position it receivesan impression from the types upon the bed G. At the next ascent of theinking-frame the toe g is tripped and the card thus allowed to drop intoa receptacle provided for it below the machine.

Itwill be observed that by the proper relative arrangement of the typesin the two forms, as now practiced in color-printing by two distinctoperations, the samework is performed at a single operation, the twobeds and platens and their inking devices being entirely. separate, butco-acting, as set forth. It will also be seen that by a multiplicationof the typebeds and platensinthe same general line three, four, or sixor more colors can be printed in the same manner at a single operation,the

parts being all actuated from a single driving shaft.

Furthermore, the press is well adapted to plain work in one color bysimply throwing one of the toggles out of contact with the cam E, and bymeans of the peculiar construction of the cam and toggles a speed equalto that realized upon a cylinder-press may be maintained withoutdifiiculty. A great ad vantage is also gained by the arrangement 9f theplatens upon the swinging gate 1,. by which the types and the mainworking portionsgf the machine are rendered easy of access'alniostinstantaneously. H p For feeding sheets into a press of this characterit is proposed to use an endless v rgripercarrier running over suitablewheels, and arranged to introduce, transfer, and deliver the sheet atthe proper time by means ofautomatic devices provided for that purpose;and this portion of the press has been made the subject of a separateapplication for a patent. 1 4. What I claim as my invention isj 1. Thecombination, in a printing-press, of two or more type-beds, G and G,with'thei-r separate inking apparatus m and n and in and n, and theplatens H and H, arranged in the same vertical or nearly vertical line,whereby the sheet'or card to be printed may pass by its'own gravity fromone platen to the other when the pressure is removed therefrom, after animpression is given, the parts operating substantially as shown anddescribed, for' the purpose of printing upon the same sheet or card twoor more distinct colors.

2. The combination, in a printing-presaot' two type-beds, G G, workingalternately, platens H H, and the reciprocating inking frame J,operating conj ointly, for the-purposes set forth. I

3. The, platengate I constructed and -ar ranged to be locked in positionwhile the press is in operation, but swinging readily upop naaaao ahinges to permit easy access to the type-beds 6. The stops f f,rock-shafts e, and toes and platens, substantially as described. 9 g, incombination with the tripper h, op-

4. The combination, in a printing-press, of erating substantially as setforth. two type-beds, G and G, having sets of tog- FRED HEUGHES gles 0 cand revolving cam E common to both, arranged to operate substantially asdescribed. Witnessses:

5. The card-slide frame 13 0 arranged to be WM. S. LOUGHBOROUGH,attached to the platens by binding-screws p, PATRICK MOINTYRE.substantially as set forth.

